Warriors RC
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| Full name | Warriors Rugby Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | WRC | |
| Founded | 2001 | |
| Location | Helsinki, Finland | |
| Ground(s) | Tali sports park | |
| Chairman | Timothy Gilbert | |
| Coach(es) | John Wuatai-Tariau (men), Jatta-Mari Harju (women) | |
| League(s) | Finnish Rugby Federation | |
| ||
Warriors Rugby Club Helsinki or Warriors RC or WRC is a Finnish rugby club in Helsinki. The club was founded in 2001, when rugby as a sport was played by only a few individuals in Finland. During the first years, the club had players and members from more than 20 different countries.
Warriors was the first club in Finland to establish a women's rugby team, and has won four women's XV Championships. Today WRC is one of the most successful rugby clubs in Finland, has won many Finnish championships, and since 2008 always finished the men's XV's season in the top 2 (except 2017). WRC also fields several national team players.
Warriors RC can be considered a pioneer in Finnish junior rugby, and is the first club to offer rugby for all age groups, from 3 years to adult level. As of 2023, half of the signed up U18 players are licensed to Warriors.
Current teams[edit]
Warriors are currently fielding the following teams:
Women[edit]
- Women's 15's Championship team [1]
- Women's 1st division team, together with HRC, Linna and Kalev ("Fuusio")
- Women's 7's team
Since 2018 Warriors Women's teams have been collaborating with Linna RC and playing under the team name 'WarriorsLinna', or short 'WaLi'. In the 2022 season, WaLi won at least one game against every competing ladies team in Finnish Rugby, 15s and 7s combined. In 2023, the team qualified for the championship final for the first time in 8 years.
Men[edit]
- Men's 15's Championship team [2]
- Men's 15's Second division team (WRC2)
- Men's 7's team
Academy[edit]
Warriors youth program operates in 5 age groups: U5 (5 and under), U8, U11, U14, U18 and form teams as tournaments and competitions are organized.[3] Warriors Academy has received a grant from the Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland) in 2021 to further develop junior rugby activities. The WRC Academy regularly organizes camps and open trainings to promote junior rugby in Finland.
Touch Rugby[edit]
Warriors organize touch rugby trainings on a weekly basis.
Current standings[edit]
Women
- 2023: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2022: 5th in Finnish XV Championship,[4] Champion of Division I (second team) [5]
- 2021: 5th in Finnish XV Championship [6]
- 2020: 5th in Finnish XV Championship [7]
Men
- 2023: Finnish XV Champion
- 2022: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2021: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2020: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
History[edit]
Women
- 2023: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2022: Division I Champion, second team
- 2015: Finnish 7's series champions
- 2014: Finnish7's series champions, Finnish XV Championship
- 2013: Finnish 7's series champions, second in Finnish XV Championship
- 2012: Finnish XV Championship
- 2011: Finnish XV Championship
- 2009: Finnish XV Championship
Men
- 2023: Finnish XV Champion
- 2022: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2021: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2020: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2019: Finnish XV Champion
- 2018: Finnish XV Champion
- 2017: 3rd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2016: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2015: Finnish XV Champion
- 2014: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2013: 2nd in Finnish XV Championship
- 2012: Finnish XV Champion
- 2011: Finnish XV Champion
- 2010: Finnish XV Champion
- 2009: Finnish XV Champion
- 2008: Finnish XV Champion
Homeground[edit]
Warrior play their home games in Myllypuro sports park. Trainings are mainly held in Tali sports park, from November–April indoors in Tali football hall, and from May–October outdoors.
References[edit]
- ^ "Warriors RC - Edustusjoukkue (naiset XV)". www.warriorsrugbyclub.org (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Warriors RC - 1st Team - Info & Sign up". www.warriorsrugbyclub.org (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Warriors RC - WRC Academy". www.warriorsrugbyclub.org (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Suomen Rugbyliitto - Sijoitukset". www.finland.rugby. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Sarjavoittoja ratkaistu - Suomen Rugbyliitto". www.finland.rugby. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Suomen Rugbyliitto - Sijoitukset". www.finland.rugby. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Suomen Rugbyliitto - Sijoitukset". www.finland.rugby. Retrieved 2023-02-13.